The Revolving Door Of Coaches In China's Super League

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Russia's Italian head coach Fabio Capello looks on before the friendly football match between Russia and Belarus in Khimki, outside Moscow, on June 7, 2015. (Photo credit: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP/Getty Images)

Seven of the league's 16 coaches have been replaced since November, many of them having lasted a season or less. China's high-rolling top leagues have come to resemble a revolving door for foreign coaches, who make quick fortunes in short-lived stints working within chaotic clubs.

If Capello lasts through the year, he will have made it a season and a half, which is about average for Chinese Super League head coaches.

Capello, 71, is rumored to return to AC Milan, the Italian club where he won four Serie A titles and the UEFA Champions League in the 1990s.

A revolving door

Capello joined Jiangsu Suning in June 2017, replacing Choi Yong-soo, who stayed for just under a year. Jiangsu finished in 12th place in the 16-team league, escaping relegation to the second-tier Chinese League One.

After gaining fame for success with storied European clubs AC Milan and Real Madrid, Capello had been out of work since 2015, when he was released from his role as head coach of the Russian national team. He arrived as one of a quickly-receding wave of foreign coaches cashing in on high-paying Chinese clubs that feature rapid turnover.